Month: January 2011

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More on Fake Google Places Reviews – Be Careful

It is illegal to create fake reviews for your business online according to the FTC guidelines released in November 2009, but it is happening big time on Google Hotpot and Google Places. Don’t be caught by being ignorant of the tactics that scummy firms are using that may get you in trouble.

Here are just three “fake” reviews that I found on one  Google Places page. Boy do they look contrived and created by an SEO firm for placement due to the use of keywords, repetition, and bolding.

[Name removed] knows all the tricks I was side swiped by a car in [bolded City Removed] and I did not have health insurance at the time. I called [Name removed] and he told me that my medical bills would be paid by my own car insurance policy. I was shocked to hear that my own auto insurance pays my medical bills, even when I was not driving and my car was not involved in the accident. He knows all the tricks of the trade!

[Name removed] is truly super! When my Dad was fired from his job, we suspected it was because of his age. I knew I needed to call [Name removed]. I wanted the best. I knew [Name removed] had been selected by [bolded City Removed] Magazine as a “Super Lawyer” and has been on TV multiple times. My Dad was thrilled with [Name removed] at the initial hearing with the [State Name Removed] Human Relations Commission. My Dad settled his case and ended up with a nice size check to add to his retirement. [Name removed] is truly super!

[Name removed] tripled my settlement I was involved in an accident in which I injured my hand. Since I was not working, I was worried I would not receive much in compensation. The insurance company offered me a settlement, but I was not sure if I should take it. I wanted an attorney I could trust. I called [Name removed] and he handled everything. I received a settlement that was more than triple what I was offered by the insurance company. Boy, I am glad I called [Name removed]…she tripled my settlement.

What do you think? Sure looks like the same reviewer writing these to me. The page I reviewed had five more just like this. When I see bolding, use of keywords and repetition in a review, the review is flagged for me as a violation of Google’s own spam policy and a possible violation of FTC regulations.

As a business owner you need to be aware of what tactics SEO and Google Places services firms will use to promote your business. Don’t be caught in a FTC violation in a possibly illegal or questionable effort to garner top Google Places placement.

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It is False Advertising To Create Fake Reviews for Google Places

You may not have realized this, but it is illegal to create fake reviews and testimonials about your products, services, or business on Google Places, Google Hotpot, your blog, your website, and even on Amazon.com. As a business owner you should know that there are some serious penalties that can be assessed if you are doing this or even  unknowingly in this.

How so? In November 2009 the FTC, that is the Federal Trade Commission, released advertising guidelines that impact all advertising efforts even including the Web and blogging. In a nutshell the rules state that you can not write as if you have used a product or service when you have not. If you are paid to write a piece about a product you must have used it and you must state in your piece that you are paid to write the piece. You can read all the gory details and gobbledy gook the feds write to spell out a concept from the FTC website.

The bottom line is this, in the FTC’s own words for bloggers and online publishers:

  • Endorsements must be truthful and not misleading.
  • If the advertiser doesn’t have proof that the endorser’s experience represents what consumers will achieve by using the product, the ad must clearly and conspicuously disclose the generally expected results in the depicted circumstances, and
  • If there’s a connection between the endorser and the marketer of the product that would affect how people evaluate the endorsement, it should be disclosed.

There are penalties spelled out for violations and the FTC makes it easy to report a violation with their online complaint site.

The reason for my blog post today is however to mention that creating fake reviews on Google Hotpot and other online review services would also fall into the category as false advertising and could get you and your business in a pickle with the FTC.

I mention this as there are several Google Places firms, based overseas, that are promoting such illegal reviews as part of their business packages. You as a business owner need to know that these review placement and review writing services are illegal and could get YOU in trouble.

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Introducing our Spokedog Keebler

Keebler the McCord Web Services spokesdog.
Keebler the McCord Web Services spokesdog.

We would like you to meet our spokesdog Keebler. Keebler is the McCord family pet and our new fun way to connect with dog lovers, business colleagues, and people just interested in knowing more about blogging, AdWords, SEO, and social media.

Keebler was adopted on October 2009 as an adult dog from the Northern Virginia Sheltie Rescue. Although Keebler is not a pure bred Sheltie, she had enough of the Sheltie look to qualify for the rescue group to take her in from a shelter. Keebler is actually a Sheltie Corgi mix. She has the Sheltie look with the cute short legs and long body of a Corgi.

These wonderful people at the Northern Virginia Sheltie Rescue find then adopt and foster many needy and older dogs from shelters or direct donation right in their own homes. They are serious about the dogs and look to find the very best adoptive home match for the dog and family.

Keebler had been a street dog and then had been adopted twice by families. She had not been able to get along with other dogs in the family and had been returned for re-placement. The Rescue group loved her, but found her difficult to place until we came along. What we saw was a great dog who needed to be the “queen” of the household and be a part of a high energy family. It has turned out to be an excellent match for us, a one dog family, and for Keebler.

Our spokesdog’s best features are her wonderful smile and bubbly personality. Although adopting an adult dog can be a challenge sometimes, our family welcome Keebler to her new forever home with open arms. We fondly say that our dog has a mental illness when it comes to squirrels. She hates them and tries to chase them in the yard, then she will run circles around the kitchen table to work off her anxiety energy until stopped. She could run until she falls from exhaustion if allowed. We have learned that our high energy dog just needs a bit of special loving help when squirrels are in our yard.

There are a few ways you can connect with Keebler. She has her own Facebook page, she has her own Twitter account called AskKeebler, and she regularly interacts to answer questions on the McCord Web Service Facebook Business Page. If you want to join in the fun, ask web visibility questions, see funny videos that are silly yet viral, you need to connect with our spokesdog Keebler, it is all done in fun!

If you want candid answers to your web related business questions, have a light hearted laugh, want to share dog pictures, or ask about how to promote your business on the Web, you need to just Ask Keebler!